"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

The standoffs seem a little tall - can they be replaced with shorter ones for lower profile? (maybe a 50% reduction in height?)

Unfortunately, no. They are required to be that tall in order to provide clearance for the Teensy, which is mounted to the bottom of the PCB below the spacebar. Perhaps one day we will have an alu case for the JD40, which will give the keyboard an angle, and it won't look quite so tall.

My current DD. Finally starting to get used to the layout. Now it feels funny going back to 60%. Still a little trouble with the period key on normal use (my right ring finger doesn't like that bend), but short of that, I really like it. On top of that, the 62g blues that dustinhxc put in this thing are awesome!